The March 2026 Texas Senate primary election made quite the headlines as Democrats vie to flip the state from red to blue. Representative Jasmine Crockett came into the election with a strong background, best known for her strong argumentative style and past viral moments in Congress. However, Representative James Talarico came in full force. Meanwhile, the Republican primary ended up in a runoff. So, who won the Democratic and Republican Texas Senate primaries?
Find out who the winners of the 2026 Texas Senate primary election were for the Democrats and Republicans.
Who Won the Democratic Texas Senate Primary 2026?
Talarico was the winner of the Democratic Texas Senate nomination. According to poll results, Talarico received 52.8 percent of the votes, while Crockett got 45.9 percent.
While speaking to supporters on Tuesday evening, Talarico said, “We are not just trying to win an election. We are trying to fundamentally change our politics, and it’s working.”
Speaking with Politico ahead of the election, Talarico discussed going head to head against either of his Republican opponents: Attorney General Ken Paxton and Senator John Cornyn. Talarico called them both “extraordinarily weak” in the interview.
“Paxton and Cornyn, they’re different,” he acknowledged. “Paxton was guilty of illegal corruption. That’s why my colleagues and I impeached him in the Texas House. But Cornyn is guilty of legalized corruption. He was the deciding vote on the Big, Ugly, Bill, which kicked millions of [Texans] off their health care, took food out of the mouths of hungry Texas kids all to give tax breaks to his donors. Both of them are guilty of using their public offices to enrich their donors — Ken Paxton in an illegal way, but John Cornyn in a legal way. I look forward to prosecuting the case against either of them — whoever makes it out.”
Who Won the Republican Texas Senate Primary?
Republican Cornyn was forced into a runoff election with Paxton. Although neither was declared the winner, Cornyn received the most votes — 41.9 percent — and Paxton got 40.7 percent. The runoff will take place on May 26.
What Is a Runoff Election?
A runoff is a second election to determine a winner when no candidate from the prior election met the required threshold of votes. A runoff election can be held for both primary and general elections in the U.S.
